Wandering Minds
by korralations
Summary: My first fic. A one-shot turned into a multi-chapter fic, Kataang. It's been two years since the war and Katara and Aang relocate to a source of problems for the world. Filling in how the colonies turned into Republic City. T to be safe, might change.
1. Greetings & Decisions

**A/N: This is my first fan-fic. Please Review. Thank you!**

Katara shifted back her weight, glorifying in the water's motion as she bent it forward and back.

_Forward and back, forward and back_, she repeated in her mind. _Forward and back_. She tried to put her mind wholeheartedly into the bending, but it inexorably wandered.

Wandered to Aang.

It had been four years since the war; she knew it. He was the world's messiah, their one hope that prevailed over the Fire Nation. The Fire Nation, barely gathering their pieces together, stitched together by merely a man, by Zuko. _Fire Lord Zuko_, she thought. _I won't ever get used to that._

She was eighteen, and she felt it. Her father wasn't forcing her into a marriage; he would let her choose. But with all the money and support that the Northern Water Tribe had lent hers, their customs were rubbing off. So, sure, he wasn't forcing her into anything, but she was of marrying age. It was expected, and soon.

With a sharp lunge forward, the water smashed against a tree, shearing leaves off. She sneered at it. Somehow she was angry; somehow, this wasn't fair. Tui and La forbid it - even _Sokka _had gotten married. Katara would be surprised if Suki wasn't already pregnant. Sokka. Pride of the Southern Water Tribe. The Chief's son, the boy who somehow managed to make it through alright without bending, the 'everyday people's hero.'

Katara got her hero worship too. At a mere age of fourteen she had travelled the world and defeated Azula with Fire Lord Zuko. Little girls saw her as a princess, as the one they wanted to be like. Katara saw them, waving their arms as if waterbending. She was eighteen now, though. Expected to settle down and continue the Southern waterbending tradition.

She shot another water whip at the helpless tree. Ha. Settle down. Katara loved her home, loved the ice, but she loved _seeing_ things, seeing the world, meeting people.

People. Aang.

Waist-deep in water, she let the water she was bending splash into the pond.

He was sixteen now. He had shot up, was a good foot taller than her. His shoulders were broader, his eyes more worn with the weight of the world. Even so, they still lit up at penguins, at snow, at baby sparrowkeets or her native polar bear dogs. He was a happy person still, was always traveling to sort out one diplomatic problem or another.

Whenever he saw her, he'd hold her and laugh, laugh in happiness. He'd hug her, and, if the mood called for it, would kiss her. What in Yue's name was it all supposed to mean?

A flick of her hand, and the water roared up again. She spun it in a circle above her, then let it crash again.

"Katara?"

She spun around to see Sokka, running his hands through his hair.

"Look…. the elders are complaining… there's a lot of _splashing_."

How was he supposed to know anything? He loved Suki, it was an easy decision for him to marry her. It had always been easy for him to sort out his feelings.

"I'm just waterbending," she replied shortly.

"Really? I thought you were firebending."

Katara shot him a glare, and he raised his hands in defense. "Fine, fine, just keep on splashing around out here. Fine by me," he grumbled, walking away.

How was it so easy for Sokka to figure out that he loved Suki? What had he done?

Sokka had met Suki when he was younger, and even though they were apart sometimes, they had always just picked up right where they left off. They always smiled around each other.

Katara snorted. How Suki put up with him, she'd never know. His ego had only inflated more since Hakoda named him as the next Chief. He would've been anyway, but the publicity was good for the Tribe. Show the world that they were rebuilding. Suki still loved him, though, and that was a feat to be proud of.

How would she ever find someone to love her like that? To be objective and not get angry at her when she threw stuff, when she yelled and cried and bossed everyone around? Someone to cheer her up?

"Katara!"

She spun around, water whip out, ready to smack Sokka's stupid head back to wherever he came from. He couldn't just let her _think_ for a few minutes. No one could anymore.

Aang broke into the clearing, dropping his staff on the ground.

Her face split into a giant grin, and he leapt into the air, plunging straight into the pond.

He resurfaced a second or two later, rubbing his tattoos.

"Not as deep as I thought it'd be," he grumbled.

"I thought you were with Zuko for the week!"

"Got back early," he said with a smile. "Appa wanted to see you again."

"Oh, Appa did?"

He nodded with mock seriousness. "Hakoda called a meeting, too."

"He didn't tell me about a meeting," she noted, voice rising an octave.

"It's about you, apparently," he said nonchalantly, bending a tiny tornado of air above his palm.

"Me? What for?"

"You're almost seventeen. Hakoda wants you to get engaged here soon. He told me that you didn't have to get married right away if you don't want to. Just engaged."

She circled the water around her lazily.

"You really should get engaged soon. I've had too many Earth Kingdom nobles ask me about you."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Are you alright, Katara?" Aang asked suddenly, noticing her downcast eyes.

"I don't want to marry some stuffy Earth Kingdom person," she grumbled.

Silence.

"I hear you guys got a fresh shipment of fruit pies," he said, nudging her side. "Wanna go see?"

She giggled with a nod, slowly traipsing toward the shoreline.

Katara stopped suddenly. She was laughing. Just a minute ago she had almost bitten Sokka's head off.

Aang made her happy, she realized.

"You okay?" he asked from behind her, a hand resting on her shoulder.

She looked at his hand, the blue tattoos on them. He was an airbender. An Air _Nomad_. Nomads, who moved around, but still had one place to call home.

Katara turned to face Aang, and his gray eyes were rife with concern. She threw herself into his arms, squeezing him tightly. He was the one who made her smile, the one who always was there for her. They always picked up right where they had left off, and she always knew when he was away, because something seemed absent.

"You won't let me marry those stuck-up jerks, would you, Aang?"

"Of course not," he said, rumbling with laughter.

She smiled. Maybe getting engaged wouldn't be such a horrible ordeal after all.


	2. Baggage & Cajoling

**A/N: Please review. Thank you so much!**

"Katara!"

She spun from Aang's side, sighing in irritation at Sokka sprinting toward her.

"You need to help!" he insisted, waving his arms. "C'mon!"

"Sokka, what's wrong?" Aang mediated.

"It's Suki. Can't you just see what's wrong with her?"

Katara nodded, following her frantic brother back to his ice house, about to brush aside the curtain. The smell of sickness wafted out, and she pushed on Aang's chest.

"I wanna help!" he insisted.

"Aang, stay out here, alright?"

He opened his mouth to argue, but just nodded and leaned against the hut's outer wall.

She entered the hut, struggling to not pinch her nose.

"Sokka?" Suki asked, and Katara took in the sight. Suki was wrapped up in a blanket from her collarbones down, and her shoulders were obviously bare.

"What happened to oogies?" she shot at Sokka, kneeling next to the warrior.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, ignoring her jibe. "She just threw up as soon as we woke up."

Katara leaned a hand on the older girl's forehead, and hovered her hands over the girl's stomach.

"Upset stomach?" Sokka asked, hovering over his sister's shoulder. "Were the sea slugs bad? I cooked them myself! Is she gonna be alright?"

Katara grimaced at the thought of Sokka cooking anything at all, and shot him a pointed look at his hovering. He slumped into a fur chair, crossing his arms. "Sorry."

Katara closed her eyes, listening for the water in Suki's stomach. Yes. Definitely some unrest there.

"Upset stomach, definitely," she said aloud, immersing herself in the sound of the acid and liquid in the girl's body.

"I'll go grab herbs," Sokka said, jumping up.

"Wait."

"What? Is she okay? Is she dying? Maybe she has midnight moon sickness. Or maybe… _pentapus fever!_ What if it's real!" he groaned.

"I'm right here, you oaf," Suki laughed weakly, frowning at her husband.

"There's something…" Katara began. She listened more intently, then began giggling.

"Katara?" Sokka asked, scratching his head. "You alright there?"

"I… you guys…" she laughed, "I'm surprised it took this long…"

"Did I do something?" Sokka asked frantically.

"You did something, alright," she giggled. "Suki's pregnant."

Suki smiled, and Sokka collapsed back on the chair. "Pregnant… as in a baby?"

"Congratulations, you two! Maybe if you're lucky, you'll get a girl. Tui knows you don't need another Sokka running around," she joked.

Suki groaned. "Not even funny, Katara."

"How far along?" Sokka asked, still shell-shocked.

"No more than a month. I'll leave you two alone now," Katara concluded, standing and leaving the hut before Sokka's questions could evolve into an interrogation.

"Pregnant, huh?" Aang asked as soon as she left, wiping her hands on her blue parka and slipping her gloves back on.

"Yep. She's nineteen. She'll do fine."

"You'll have a niece or nephew! That's exciting!" Aang noticed, nudging her shoulder.

"Oh, so will you," she insisted. "I doubt Sokka will let you get away without honorary uncle duties."

"Maybe I should start drinking tea and firebending more," he replied with an innocent grin.

"Avatar! Hakoda needs you!" a councilman yelled from the nearby administrational tent. "He's in the Council Room!"

"Come with me?" he asked, tossing his head toward the large tent. "It's just going to be a long meeting about how you need to find a nobleman to marry and how I need to have little airbending babies before I die. Although, I do need to hear about that fruit pie shipment!" He opened his glider, taking off toward the tent. "Bet I can beat you!"

Assuming a waterbending stance, she shot a pillar of water in front of his flight path, freezing it just as he was about to fly through it. He exhaled, and a gust of air blew a path through the liquid. "Told you!" he laughed, looking back at her with a gaping smile.

"Aang, watch-" her sentence was cut off as he plummeted into a fountain, landing with a resounding 'thud' at the bottom. She stifled her giggle with a single gloved hand, and he rubbed his tattoos in pain for the second time that day.

She ran as fast as her thick clothing would allow her to the tent.

"Ha, beat you!"

"Katara, is that you?" her father opened the curtain, staring expectantly at her. "This meeting isn't for you."

"Aang invited me," she explained.

"I know you want to come in, but you'll have to sit this one out."

"Aang will just tell me what happened afterward."

He smiled slightly, deep blue eyes filled with equal parts annoyance and amusement. Amusement won out, and he parted the curtain for her.

"Fine.


	3. Meetings & New Plans

**A/N: This is the third chapter of what was originally going to be a one-shot. Please review. Thank you!**

"Avatar," a councilman greeted as Aang stepped in. "Katara," he acknowledged, slightly surprised. "Now that you're here, Avatar," we can begin," the same councilman concluded.

Katara wrinkled her nose in distaste. His name was Aang, not 'Avatar.' If he was going to call Aang 'Avatar,' why didn't he just call her 'waterbender?'

"Aang, an urgent issue has been brought to my attention that you must be briefed on, an issue that would be presented to you by the Earth King and the Fire Lord as well if they were to be present," her father said, diving right into the issue.

Katara made a mental note. It must be serious if Hakoda would even comprehend all four leaders together.

"What is so important?" Aang asked, voicing her concerns. He did that a lot.

"As you know, the Fire Nation colonies on the western Earth Kingdom coast are a constant source of political debate, and the Fire Lord has deployed troops to keep the unrest down. Despite his efforts, these troops have only managed to make citizens even angrier. I am sure that both the Fire Nation colonists and the Earth Kingdom citizens would be more than happy to have the Avatar sort things out."

Aang leaned forward, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his palm. "Why isn't Zuko telling me this?"

"The Fire Lord has pressing matters in the Fire Nation… and I can guarantee you that both the Earth Kingdom representative in the colonies and the Fire Lord have differing opinions on the matter."

"So you want me to go make sure there's no more fighting?"

"Yes, Avatar, that would be ideal," another councilman cut in, shaking his hands into the sleeves of his blue parka.

"How soon do they need me?"

"As soon as you can get there," Hakoda replied. "I regret that your stay here was cut so short, but I'm sure you can visit again when your duties die down."

Aang shot a look at Katara, one clearly meaning that his duties never rested. She understood, and smiled reassuringly in encouragement.

"I'll go," Aang said with a sigh, straightening out his orange and yellow robes. "Is that all that this meeting is about?"

Hakoda's eyes flickered to his daughter, but nodded. "Yes. In light of recent circumstances, I think that it would be best if you leave sooner rather than later."

Aang stood and left, and the councilmen filed out after him. Katara hung back, waiting for her dad to be alone.

"Hi, Katara," he said with a smile, readjusting all of the papers on the desk. She couldn't help but giggle. Her father was _not_ a paper person. "What's on your mind?"

"I want to go with Aang."

"Why?"

"I think he'll go crazy if he's cooped up with so many angry people without a friendly face."

Hakoda looked up at her, bright blue eyes full of surprise.

"Katara, I'm sure he'll be fine."

"Dad, you have to let me go!"

"Your place is here!"

"No, Dad! My place is with Aang!"

Silence.

"So you're engaged?"

She recoiled. "No! He's my friend, Dad."

"I've seen the way he looks at you," Hakoda said, standing.

"Fine! Then he looks at me a certain way! That shouldn't keep me from going to the colonies with him."

"No! It's dangerous there, Katara. You could get hurt. I'm not letting you leave, and that's final. I know you want to go, but we need you here. I need you here."

"You're not letting me _leave_? she shrieked. Several pots of water sloshed over, turning to ice on the floor. "Just like _you_ left us?"

"Is this what this is about? I missed you Katara, so much, and I don't want you to go through what I had to _missing_ you two," he sighed, much calmer than his daughter.

_Unbelievable_, she thought. _I can survive without him!_

"You have Sokka to help with the tribe, and Pakku to train any new waterbenders. And Sokka doesn't need me, he has Suki! And there are plenty of women around to help Suki with the baby. You don't need me here, Dad. I'm going with Aang, and _that's_ final!"

"Suki's pregnant?" he asked, smiling.

"I'm going whether you like or not," Katara huffed, crossing her arms.

He sighed again, but opened him arms. "C'mere."

She hugged him, breathing in the smell of sea jerky and home. "You always were a headstrong one," he murmured, "just like your mother. If you want to go, I won't be able to stop you."

She pulled away. "Thank you! I'll write letters; I promise."

He pressed a single finger to her necklace's pendant. "You're eighteen," he said. "When you come back, I think you should start looking for some men to marry. You're a waterbending prodigy. And, to be honest, I'd much rather have little Katara's than Sokka's," he grinned, and she laughed. She had said the same thing just ten minutes earlier, and her dad's uncanny ability to know her made her feel comforted again.

Just like her mom had. She touched her necklace, head turned down.

"Thank you, Dad."

He hugged her one last time before she pushed aside the curtain, wincing at the sunlight's glare off of the snow and ice.

"Hey, Katara!"

Aang flew over, landing neatly and turning his staff a few times in his hand before placing the butt of it down.

"Hey, Aang."

"What was that all about? I was worried 'bout you in there," he joked.

"How long is the flight to the colonies again?

**A/N 2: There you go ^_^ I have a plan for this story, and I'll probably update every day or every other day. Basically, this story is fluff, some angst but not much, and an actual plot line. A lot of fics don't have plot lines, but this one will. It involves Republic City, a few airbending temples, and Toph kicking ass a few times. Pairings are Kataang, Sukka, and Maiko, so all the canon ones. It's basically extending my headcanon. Also, in case you didn't catch on, this is two years in the future.**

**Some people in the fandom are saying in general that the ages of Sokka (20), Katara (18), and Aang (16) is too young for romance, and I say screw them. They saved the world at 16/14/12, so I think it's acceptable that starting a family is a younger age as well. Not that chapter four's gonna be all babies or anything, but you get the point. This is a different world from ours, and everything happens younger.**

**Anyway, review please! Thank you so much for reading!**


	4. Kaipho & Generals

**A/N: An extra long (and sort of fluffy) one for you guys! Please review. I'm not sure about how it turned out, but it's still coming along the way I want it too. Thanks for reading!**

"Welcome, Avatar, to the city of Kaipho!" a tall man with dark sideburns said, bowing. "And Master Katara. We are pleased to have you."

Aang gently ran his hand over Appa's fur, loosening the saddle's straps. "Do you have a barn for Appa?" he asked, "and maybe some hay?"

"Of course. Pondo! Take the Avatar's bison to the barn we talked about." He shot the servant a pointed look, one which didn't escape Katara. They had no idea they were coming. Of course not.

"We have set aside two bedrooms for our most honored guests," the man said, bowing again in traditional Fire Nation form, one flat hand over the knuckles of a clenched fist. Odd. Fire Nation. "If you could follow me."

He led the pair into a modestly sized town center, and up a flight of wooden stairs to adjacent doors, inlaid with intricate carvings. Katara was impressed with the quality of the town's buildings - the town was rather large, too.

"It is almost sundown, if you two would like to rest. My name is Colonel Linzuen. We will be more than happy to consult with you come morning." He bowed for a third time, leaving the two alone in front of the doors.

"We made it here," Aang said. "It feels good to be away from the freezing weather, although it's no air temple."

"Do you miss it?" she asked, wringing her hands together.

"Definitely. The wind. That's what I miss most. In these cities, you just don't get the same breezes."

"Don't worry, Aang," Katara insisted. "I know that as soon as things slow down, you'll find a place in an air temple where you can enjoy the wind again. I know it."

"Thanks, Katara," he said, gathering her in for a hug. Her heart beat out of her chest. He hadn't hugged her in so long, not like this, like he wanted to hold onto her and not ever let go. It was a hug that just enveloped her in… _Aang_. In the way he smelled vaguely of laundry that was fresh, like the breeze. There was no other way to describe it. These hugs encompassed her in his arms, and made her want to hold onto him too.

"Let's see if these rooms are any good," he said with a carefree smile, taking her hand and leading her into one.

There was a large bed covered in red sheets and a stone fireplace. A small wooden bedside table contained a vase of water for washing. A simple door was on the wall opposite the bed, and Aang lightly drifted over and opened it, revealing an identical room.

"I gotcha," he said, lunging toward the fireplace. A controlled ball of fire erupted, lighting the logs perfectly. "I'm gonna sleep now. 'Night, Katara!" he said cheerfully, going toward his door.

"Night, Aang," Katara replied right before the door slammed shut.

She sighed, finally able to relax.

Undoing her parka and tossing it over the foot of the bed, she laid down, her back aching from sitting on Appa the for three days.

_That's the stuff_, she thought, stretching. _This is where it's at, just laying down._

The room was getting warmer and warmer, and Katara bent a stream of water from the vase and into the fire. Steam erupted from the stone structure, and she slid under the blankets, bending a small glob of water to extinguish the candle. A tiny puff of steam, then merciful darkness.

* * *

><p>"As you can see, Avatar, the fighting between the Earth Kingdom citizens and our colonists have gotten out of hand. The troops in place keep basic control and prevent total upheaval of the city, but the Earth Kingdom citizens are hardly happy about such a move."<p>

"Is Kaipho a large enough city to have a king?" Aang asked, sitting cross-legged on a red cushion. Katara was at his right side, and Linzuen across the small table.

"No. The Fire Nation has… installed martial law here in Kaipho. To keep the peace."

"Martial law? The Fire Nation military is running an Earth Kingdom city?"

"The Fire Nation colonists have doubled the population here. There are just as many of our citizens as theirs. This is their home too now."

"You need to stop doing this!" Aang argued, standing and pacing. "You need to stop thinking of yourselves as enemies. You're _not._"

"Yes, Avatar," Linzuen said patronizingly.

"He's right," Katara piped up. "The unrest among the citizens will only be solved if you can reconcile your differences."

"I'm sure the Water Tribe knows all about _differences_," he sneered.

In a flash, Katara had him frozen to the wall, glaring at him.

"The Water Tribes are becoming prosperous and essential to our world, as they always have been," she spat. "Do you have an _issue_ with that?"

"Of course not. I'm appalled at the accusation."

"Katara," Aang warned.

With a flick of her wrists, the water splashed to the ground, and Katara stomped to her cushion.

"I think that Katara would like an apology," Aang mediated.

Swallowing, the general bowed deeply, his eyes still mocking. "Of course, _Master Katara_. I apologize for my insubordination and disrespect."

Katara nodded curtly, trying to stop herself from freezing him to the wall for the whole day and leaving him there.

"I think I'm going to ask Zuko to come," Aang decided aloud. "The military running the city is worse than I expected."

"Do you think he'll do any good here?"

"He's the Fire Lord. Of course he will. Since Kuei has too much to do in Ba Sing Se, it's the closest thing we have. Plus he'll bring fire gummies," Aang said with a childish gleam in his eye.

"I do enjoy fire gummies," Katara commented, standing up as Aang floated to his feet.

"I'll go send the letter now!" he yelled back as he sped away toward the aviary tower.

Katara shook her head with a laugh, then turned it to an icy glare as Linzuen rubbed his shoulders, shooting a ball of fire angrily into the grand fireplace. She left with a pointed glare and a flip of her blue robes


	5. Fresh Faces & New Ideas

**A/N: Just so you know, I probably won't be switching points of view or anything; it'll be third person limited omniscient, so just third person with Katara's thoughts on occasion. Anyway, thanks to those of you reading, and let's get to it!**

_Katara,_

_ The healer that came down from the Northern Water Tribe said she's six weeks along! You should come down here. Suki keeps yelling at me to get her food and then she just throws it back up anyway _He's a liar! I don't yell at him! _Sorry, Suki stole the letter. Anyway, Dad told me he found a councilman's son from the Northern Tribe who's about your age who you might like. He seems like a big jerk, and if he even tries to talk to you, I'll shove his head in a block of ice. I hear Zuko's going to the colonies, so tell him 'happy jerkbending' and make sure Aang gives him the 'what-for.'_

_ Sokka and Suki_

"Jerkbending still?"

"Whoa!" Katara exclaimed, spinning on the heel of her foot, letter clutched to her chest. Zuko was standing behind her, smiling faintly.

"Suki's pregnant?"

"You can't sneak up on me like that!"

"Feeling nostalgic," he said with a wry smile.

She laughed, sitting on the couch. "When did you get here?" He sat next to her, waving off a servant lingering nearby.

"Three hours ago or so. Aang dragged me right into a meeting."

"He did? If I'd known, I would've-"

"Don't worry about it, it was dreadfully boring. If he hadn't dragged me away, I think I probably would've been attacked anyway."

"Attacked?"

"A few Earth Kingdom citizens aren't too happy to see me." He stared at the wall, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I thought that once I stopped the war, people would see me as a different person, not just another Fire Nation leader. They hate me, just like they did my father."

"No, Zuko. You're different. And they'll figure that out. If Aang, Sokka, and I could forgive you, then anyone can."

"Aang wants you, by the way. Both of us, actually. He's in the meeting room."

He ushered her out the door, and Katara was unnerved by the number of people who bowed to Zuko. He walked by unfazed, as if he didn't notice them.

The meeting room had a few new faces in it, and Zuko immediately gravitated to Mai's side, sitting on the cushion next to her. General Jee nodded to the young Fire Lord and Katara as she sat next to Aang.

"Good, you guys are here," Aang said as soon as the pair settled down. "We have a lot to get through."

* * *

><p>"Don't worry, Colonel Linzuen's gone. He took off as soon as I arrived," Zuko replied, leaning his head on his right hand. "General Jee, you can oversee the troops here for the time being?"<p>

"Of course, Fire Lord," he said graciously, bowing his head slightly.

"Zuko, we can't continue with your troops running this place!"

"It's working so far."

"No, it's not. The people here are upset and they want change."

"They're safe. With firm military involvement, the rebellions will die down."

"You're forgetting that this wasn't a Fire Nation town originally. It's the home of many Earth Kingdom people. They should get a say too," Aang argued.

"Things change, Aang!" Zuko insisted, standing and pacing. "I've learned in my life that sometimes people need a firm hand to guide them in the right path."

"They do need change, and they do need a firm path, but this isn't the way!" Aang said, standing, fists curled at his side.

"I think we should take a quick break," Katara warned, grabbing Aang's hand. It unfurled in hers as his anger dwindled away.

"Fine," Zuko snapped, brushing past them and out the door. Aang followed him, and General Jee began shuffling around the papers and maps on the table.

"They're being stupid," Mai said dryly, twirling a crimson thread from her robe's sleeve between two fingers.

"I don't know why they can't just compromise," Katara agreed, lazily twirling the water in her glass. Her friendship with Mai had always been thin at best, instead keeping a steady respect for the older girl. _And Fire Lady_, she thought. _Mai is very much your superior_. Katara snorted at the thought. As if she would ever think someone to be her superior. "What can you do, though? There's no easy solution."

"Yes, there is. They're just too thick-headed to see it," Mai commented, straightening the green tablecloth with mild distaste. "This tablecloth looks like a dying bush had babies with it."

Katara tilted her head, letting the water drop down as she looked at the tall, poised woman in confusion. "Do you have an idea?"

"Of course I do. They should just pitch everything and start from scratch."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked, interest piquing.

"Zuko wants Fire Nation; Aang wants Earth Kingdom. Why not just have something completely different? It would stop them from yelling. I think I'm getting a headache," she complained.

"You're right!" Katara stood, pacing in excitement. "A universal city - one that all four nations can be in together! None of them would complain because it would be run by all of them. Imagine it! All kinds of bending, all kinds of people, living together in peace! Aang'll love it!"

"I guess," Mai sighed. "It was just an idea."

"A great one! You're a genius! The form of government would be unique from all of them because all four nations would be involved! It wouldn't be in the Earth Kingdom; it won't belong to the Fire Nation, because everyone's in it!"

Mai sighed, taking a sip of her water.

"Katara?"

Aang peeked into the room, Zuko striding back to Mai's side, face tight.

"Oh, Aang, we have the best idea!"

"Okay. Let's hear it!" He plunked down on his cushion, folding his hands and looking at her expectantly.

"Mai and I thought that maybe we could turn Kaipho into a sort of universal city! All of the nations could live in it together, and it would have a form of government unique from all of them!"

She grinned at all three of the men, and their blank stares were answer enough.

"Don't you guys see? It's perfect!"

"Katara, no offense, but Earth and Fire are only two elements. Half is hardly a universal city," Aang pointed out. "We would need all four, and I'm the only airbender, so that would be kind of hard."

"I know, but I can write to my dad and ask-"

"That's ridiculous!" Zuko cut in, shaking his head. "It would never work."

"Why not?" Katara asked, hands on her hips in defiance. It was a good plan, and she wasn't letting it go.

"Not everyone is good and wants peace," he reminded sharply. "Everything doesn't turn out all nice just because you want it to."

"But if we try-"

"It would never work," Zuko dismissed with an air of finality.

Huffing, Katara dropped to her cushion.

**A/N: I'm rather happy with how this turned out! No fluff in this one, but we did get some lovely Hi-I'm-Zuko-now-listen-to-my-feelings rants there. And, of course, Katara hope-bending and assuming the best of people. I love Mai, but it's so hard to pinpoint her. I see her as extremely intelligent, despite her apparent apathy. I just love how she states the obvious so often. Anyway, the next chapter has some Toph smacking some sense into everyone (literally and figuratively), and hopefully some fluff. Stay tuned! Also, review? This is the longest chapter yet :)**


	6. Toph & Sense Smacking

Aang tapped his fingers on the meeting table, flipping through a few treaties and papers, Zuko deep in conversation with Jee. Katara was still glaring at the men. They wouldn't even consider that it was -

_Thud!_ Katara glanced back at the door and at the shaking ground.

"Is everything alright?" Aang called out.

_Thud!_ A guard yelled, then another _boom_ shook the ground.

"We're being attacked!" Aang said, backing toward the table. Katara uncorked her bending water, bending it into a water whip at the ready in front of her. She heard the _chink_ of Mai's knives, and the rasp of Zuko sliding into a firebending position. Whoever these people were, they were stupid to attack some of the best fighters in all the nations.

_Thud!_ The sound was louder now. "Almost here…" Aang warned, staff at the ready. "Spread out. We can take them."

"TWINKLETOES!"

Aang lowered his staff as another boom sounded, and a guard hit the wall against the table, sliding to the floor unconscious.

"Toph?"

Toph sprinted into the room, leaning her hands on her knees. "Really? Were you morons about to attack me?"

Everyone relaxed, but Aang peered at the young woman. "The guards-"

She put a hand up to silence him, bending herself a chair and sitting on it, bare feet propped on the table.

"They said I couldn't see Sparky without previous notice."

"So you decided to attack them all?" Aang asked.

She shrugged, flicking her wrist. A tiny pillar of earth erupted from beneath the moon peach bowl, and it propelled through the air, landing neatly in her lap. Picking one out, she took a huge bite and grinned at everyone around the table.

Aang settled into his cushion.

"It's great to see you, Toph!" Katara greeted, willing there to be someone else who was excited to see their old friend.

"Sparky, I need a few go-arounds on your shoulders," she reminded. "You still owe me for burning my feet!"

Mai's eyebrows rose, but she said nothing. Zuko smiled.

"Of course, Toph."

"Good. Good. So, Sugar Queen, what seems to be the problem here?"

"Um…"

"No one tells me anything anymore! And… where's Sokka? I miss his sarcasm."

"Sokka's still with Suki. I'm… surprised to see you here, Toph," she said gently.

Toph bit into the moon peach again, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "The guards are eavesdropping. I was just helping you guys out."

"They were?" Zuko said, standing angrily.

"Calm _down_, Sparky. I dealt with it," Toph replied self-assuredly, waving him down. Zuko sat, fuming.

"Anyway, what's this grand plan of Sugar Queen and Needles'?"

"Needles?" Mai asked quietly.

"Deal with it."

"Toph, this is General Jee. General Jee, this is Toph Bei Fong, master earthbender and metalbender," Zuko sighed.

"Best earthbender, you mean. And I taught Twinkletoes here everything he knows," she said, jerking a thumb toward Aang. "Not that that's something to brag about."

"It's an honor," Jee replied, bowing slightly.

Aang ignored the jibe. "It's great to see you again, Toph," he said, finally pushing past his initial shock.

"Yeah, yeah. It _would _be nice to see you…"

There was an awkward silence, and Toph burst out laughing. "Oh, you guys are too easy! Needles! What are you guys yapping about anyway?"

"Katara and I think that instead of wasting our time arguing like children, we should just make this village into one big city for all of the elements with a unique government. If it was up to me, we'd all just leave them alone, though," Mai sighed.

"Oh, it's good to be back," Toph sighed, tossing the moon peach core behind her. "So what's the problem?"

"It won't work out; people don't just-" Zuko was cut off as a rock erupted from the stone floor beneath him, and he flew through the air, hitting a column and sliding back down.

"Toph, maybe you shouldn't-" Aang began

He groaned as a rock dropped onto his head, catching him off-guard.

"Listen here, _Twinkletoes_. You two are so _unreasonable_ that you can't see that there's a perfectly good plan right here. I'm blind and even I can see _that!_ So get your head out of the clouds," she paused to shoot another rock, sending Zuko head-first back into his cushion. "And realize that this is _just what you need! _No more Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom arguing, because it'll be a combination of all of 'em."

Zuko straightened himself back out, once again waving off servants that flocked to his side. Crossing his legs and holding himself with dignity, he glared at Toph. "I'm the Fire Lord -"

"Fire Lord, Shmire Lord. You don't like the plan 'cause they're girls, then?"

"No! I- no! It's not… because they're girls…"

"Twinkletoes? You got any ideas why it doesn't work, then?"

Katara giggled at the amount of rock in Zuko's hair, and Toph shot her a grin. Aang rubbed his forehead in discomfort. "There are only two nations here, we would need Water Tribe-"

"Katara, you could ask 'em to send some people, right?"

"Of course," she replied with unnecessary sweetness in her voice, just for Toph's benefit.

"See? No problem, Twinkletoes."

"But airbenders live in-"

"So what? You're the last one, you don't count. Your little babies'll grow up one day and pick where they wanna live then."

"But-"

"Put a rock in it! We all know it's a good idea. Since no one else seems to be functioning here, let's put it to a vote. Details are for people who have too much time on their hands; you guys can deal with those later. All in favor of Needles' plan, raise a hand."

Katara's shot in the air, and Mai's followed lazily a few seconds later. Jee rose his hand apprehensively, but looked determined in his decision.

Zuko slowly rose his hand, and Aang grimaced.

"Fine. We'll see if it works or not."

Katara cheered, and Toph smirked self-satisfactorily.

"I guess I'll go send a letter to the tribes, then," Katara concluded, patting her inside parka pocket to make sure that the letter for Sokka was still there.

It was good to have Toph back for a change


	7. Letters & Interruptions

**A/N: Longest one yet! They seem to be getting longer as they go, so that's good for you! Please review, and enjoy the fluff/Toph-y ending. :)**

"Aang, what's wrong?"

Katara grabbed his staff, and he yanked it out of her hands.

"Leave me alone, Katara," he responded, tearing up the hallway to his room.

"No! You agreed to the idea three days ago; what's wrong with it now?"

He ignored her, opening the door with a flick of his hand. Air rushed to the doorknob, twisting it as he pushed in.

"Talk to me. What's wrong?" Katara insisted, following him into his room.

"You wouldn't understand," he sighed, sitting on the bed, staff dropping to the floor.

"Maybe I will," she replied, mollifying her tone to a softness she knew would get him to open up. "C'mon." She sat next to him.

"Airbenders don't live in cities," he finally responded, "and they never have. And they won't."

"I know this is hard for you-"

"It is hard for me, Katara! I grew up in a temple. Airbenders should, surrounded by other airbenders to help them. It's hard to learn asceticism when you're surrounded by a city."

She didn't know how to respond. He was right, of course. _He usually is_, she thought. _He's wise._

"Aang," she said gently. "Air Nomads are just that - nomads, right? Constantly going from temple to temple?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"If you move from one place to another, what's the harm in moving somewhere new?"

"This city!" he replied, gesturing toward the window. "And the temples! Am I just supposed to abandon the culture of my people for convenience?"

"No. Not at all. The airbenders will never be what they once where. I know it hurts, but it's the truth. But you can always remind people what was lost from the war."

"How?"

"Preserve them as they are, as they were a hundred years ago."

"You mean… like as a museum?"

"Sort of. Think about it. All of the soldiers returned from war? A lot of them don't have jobs. They could help clean them and maintain them. As soon as they open to the public, the Fire Nation air balloons could ferry people there. The revenue would be great for rebuilding them even more."

"And the Northern Air Temple?" he asked, looking down at her with the same wide, hopeful eyes she had grown used to. He really had gotten bigger; he was so much taller than her now. She took a moment to look at him objectively. His shoulders were broader, but he wasn't thick through, not earthbender style. He was still an airbender: nimble and strong, agile in his movements.

"The… the Northern Air Temple? You already made it clear that you want some of the culture preserved. And they fly. Surely that's a feat unto itself?"

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right," he admitted. "It's a good idea. But where will I live?"

"Here?" she wondered aloud.

"No. I could never live here. I need the breeze, I need open space and air where I can feel the sky, not stuffed between buildings."

"I can understand that," she replied honestly. "I feel hopeless when I'm not around water. But you'll figure it out, Aang. Just have hope that it'll work out, and it will. One day, you'll find a perfect place. Could you really go back to the Southern Air Temple with all of those memories?"

"No. I guess not. Thank you, Katara," he replied genuinely, taking her hand in his. "You always know how to help."

She smiled kindly. Of course she would help him. _I always will_.

Aang squeezed her hand comfortingly, then let it go. Tracing her cheekbones with a thin finger, he sighed.

"You're really pretty, you know that?" he murmured.

Katara blushed, looking down at her hands in embarrassment. Of course Aang would say something like that.

His hand tilted her chin up, and his eyes closed as he leaned in.

"Lady Katara?"

Cheeks flaming, she leapt from the bed, speeding through the door between their rooms and into her own, swinging open the main door.

"Yes?"

The messenger's eyebrows rose as he no doubt took stock of her bright red face, but he held out a packet of paper without comment.

"They just came, Lady Katara." He bowed, retreating down the hallway.

Closing the door hurriedly, she took them back to her bed.

"Katara?" Aang called through the door.

"One moment!" she called back shakily.

_Lady Katara, Daughter of Head Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe and Tribal Princess_

_ Kaipho, Western Earth Kingdom Territories_

The last bit was scribbled out and replaced with _Kaipho, Fire Nation Colonies_

She scowled. That would be Arnook's answer. He always insisted on titles, of noting your personal importance. She slit open the seal, unfolding the short letter.

_Lady Katara,_

_ I hope that this note finds you well. After reviewing the political plan of the Fire Lord and Avatar, the Tribal Council has come to a decision to aid your efforts in Kaipho. Enclosed are the seals and names of three councilmen and their families, as well as one lesser chieftain and his family who have agreed to make the journey to the Fire Nation Colonies in order to properly represent the Northern Water Tribe. Thank you for your post-war efforts, and give your father my regards._

_ Tribal Chief Arnook_

She was thoroughly surprised at the note at the end; his formalities were usual ever since his daughter's death. _Maybe he is becoming at least _somewhat _happy_ _again_.

The second letter read only _Katara_ on the front. She smiled, ripping open the seal with zeal.

_My Dearest Katara,_

_ I am thrilled to hear about your advances in Kaipho, and wish you and Aang the best. Suki and Sokka are doing well, although she has not started showing yet, I have full confidence that she will in no time. The healer informed us that she is eight weeks along._

_ Your plan sounds like an excellent one, and I hope that it succeeds as you want it to. Regrettably, we still are rebuilding, as you know, and we hardly have enough people to spare. Until we do, I'm sorry to say that we have no one to represent us. Hopefully you can fulfill that job until we have a councilman to spare. I know you will do a wonderful job!_

_ It has only been two weeks, yet you have missed so much. A young child showed a sign of waterbending. Her name is Kafia. She is eight years old, and Councilman Sook's youngest. Pakku is already teaching her, but I'm sure you would be much better with the little one._

_ Either way, we miss you terribly. Sokka and Suki say hello, as does Mother. There is a Councilman from the Northern Water Tribe on diplomatic travel, and his son was looking forward to meeting you._

_ I love you and stay safe,_

_ Dad_

Katara sighed. No representatives. _Except for you of course_, she reminded herself. And a new waterbender! She ached to teach her in the way that Katara never had, but she had full confidence the Pakku was more that sufficient, if only he could tone back the sarcasm.

And the damn Councilman's son. She knew her Dad meant the best and would let her pick, but he clearly favored some men over others.

_He would get over it if you didn't marry at all_, a tiny part of her mind argued. _He loves you. He won't _force_ you into anything_.

Yes. She had the option of just outright refusing to marry, and option she was going to chose until she saw fit not to.

"Katara?" Aang called again. Her cheeks flamed again at the thought of what had almost happened, but she clapped her hands to them, willing them to calm down as she returned to Aang's room.

"There's a new waterbender in the Southern Tribe," she said with glee, sitting next to him on the bed again.

"Really? That's awesome!" his face lit up, and she grinned. He took such pleasure in the little things.

"Yeah, it is. Dad can't send anyone from the Southern Tribe, but Arnook is sending 4 families."

"That's great!" he said with even more gusto. "This might actually work!" He pulled her in for a celebratory hug, holding her tightly. "Your plan was so good," he whispered into her ear.

When he let go of her, she saw the same serious look in his eyes, the one that signaled he was about to kiss her.

Heart beating out of her chest, she leaned in and-

_Thump!_

She pulled away for a second time, and Aang sighed this time. The door flew back at them, and Aang shot a gust of air at it, and it flew to the side.

"What the-"

"_Sugar_ Queen?" a familiar voice rang out as Toph stepped into the room. "You two are on the _bed_? Alright, Twinkletoes, get it!" she whooped.

With a sheepish grin, Aang stood.

"What's up, Toph?"

"Aw man," she laughed. "I knew you two were close, but sharing a _bed?_ I'm impressed."

"Alright, I think that's enough," Katara cut in before her face melted off from all of the heat in her cheeks.

"You two are so in for sexual jokes! Hey, Aang, is that a rock in your pants or-" she stopped as Katara drenched her in water.

"Fine, fine. I'm leaving. My metal bending school needs me. Those losers are lost without my guidance. I'll see you two later. Name the baby after me, Katara!" she sang as she left the room.

**A/N: There you go! It's been a few days since I've updated, but I figured you could use a bit of unadulterated fluff. Well, sort of. And sexual Toph jokes. I always peg Toph for a sexual joker when she gets older, so I stuck in one or two there. I'm pretty sure it's still within T-rating, so enjoy :) The next one will be out in a day or two. Please review**


	8. Government & Meetings

Katara traipsed into the meeting room.

Another meeting. They seemed to never end. _Well, you were the one who wanted to come along. No wonder Aang gets so angsty all cooped up all the time._

"Ah, Katara, you're here," Zuko's voice greeted her as she automatically slipped onto the cushion next to Aang.

"We're going to try to make this one quick," Zuko continued. Katara resisted voicing her relief, and smiled politely instead.

"Now that we have established the idea of a four-nation city as the capital of this area of colonies turned universal, we need to decide on a form of government. It needs to be unique from the Council of Elders," he nodded toward Aang, "Tribal Chiefdom," a nod at Katara, "and monarchies.

"This city will be very diverse in its people, and the government should reflect that," Zuko continued. "So we need a new idea where all four nations will have their say."

"Zuko…" Aang began, staring at the center of the table, deep in thought. "You said the people are diverse, and they should have a say."

"Well, not quite like that, but-"

"You're right, though! Everyone should have a say…" he trailed off, and Katara couldn't help but wonder where he was going. "Why don't all of the people have a say? That way they can't complain that one nation has more than another, because they're all voting."

"That's crazy! There would be anarchy - you need a structured government, Aang. This is insane, even for your peace talk."

"Hear me out, Zuko," he insisted, floating up and pacing back and forth, pointer finger raised in thought. "What if each nation had one representative, chosen by someone, to tally the votes of their people in the city and to help make essential decisions? We could make sure that they were honest, unwavering people, looking out for the good of everyone, instead of themselves?"

Zuko hesitated, and Mai leaned over to whisper something in his ear. He nodded, kissing her cheek, and sitting straight up again. "I would only trust you to chose the representatives, Aang. It seems like the Avatar is the only person truly with a foothold in all four nations and their interests."

Aang looked taken aback. "Me? And you agree with the idea?"

"Sure. Mai does too."

Katara wondered just how much control Mai had over Zuko, and she grinned to herself. They were cute together, she had to admit.

"Oh… Katara. Any opinions?"

"It sounds fine to me, Aang, but you said that this is about the people. You have to make sure this is alright with them too."

"Yeah, of course." He made his way back to his seat, drifting back down slowly.

"So who are the representatives going to be?"

"I'm the only airbender," Aang said slowly. "So I have to represent for us. For the Earth Kingdom… how does Tyro sound?"

Katara nodded fervently. "Haru's father would be perfect for it. An earthbender, old enough to have experience, and a level-headed person."

Relieved to have his first choice approved, Aang looked to Zuko.

"Zuko, who would you trust more than anyone else? Is there anyone that's always been there for you? Maybe Iroh?"

"Not Iroh. He would be more than happy to never leave his tea shop in Ba Sing Se. Jee, would you like to be the Fire Nation's representative?"

The older man looked surprised, eyebrows rising. "O-of course, Fire Lord Zuko. I would be honored to represent the Fire Nation's best interests. I am truly humbled by your choice."

"Don't be. It's sad that I can trust so few people anyway."

Katara had to stop herself from giggling at Zuko's serious tone. He needed to _lighten up._

"General Jee it is then," Aang concluded, nodding at him. "And the water tribes. Should we have one from each pole?"

"No," Katara piped up instantly. "That would give the waterbenders two representatives, and that's not fair. We need one who's experienced and has seen the world, so that we can justify them being from one tribe or the other."

"Bato!" Aang exclaimed. "He'd be perfect! He travelled with your dad as a soldier and has enough experience to do the job."

"That's great, Aang!" Katara replied excitedly.

"So the Avatar has made the decisions," Zuko replied. "Now there's only one last order of business before we can leave for the day. A name for the city."

"Well," Mai said boredly. "Kaipho sounds like an Earth Kingdom noble had a coughing fit. This city's gonna be all about peace and equality, so why not just call it Republic?

"Republic means a group with equality among its members," she sighed. "And it gets rid of that awful name."

"Republic City," Aang said. "It has a certain ring to it. I like it! Anyone opposing?"

Silence.

"Good! Republic City it is, then. Great idea, Mai!"

She yawned in reply, hands entering her opposite sleeves again.

* * *

><p>"Aang, we have one minute until the speech starts!" Zuko yelled into the curtained room.<p>

"Alright, Katara, are you ready?" Aang asked.

She nodded, pacing the room. "What if they don't like my idea?"

"They will. It's a great idea, and the jobs provided are too much to pass up. They'll love all of it."

She continued pacing, and his hand caught her forearm, pulling her from her incessant walking.

"Katara? It'll be alright, okay?"

She nodded, breathing in calmly.

_Like when you're bending. Collected and in focus._

Katara smiled, much more at ease with her own drawn parallels.

"Here," Aang said with a smile, leaning in.

_Finally_, her mind seemed to scream. _Finally, a kiss._

"AANG!" Zuko yelled, bursting into the make shift tent. "Was I interrupting something?" he asked, eyes wide in questioning.

"Yes," Aang sighed, and Zuko smiled slightly in amusement.

"They're all waiting for you," Zuko replied, backing out of the tent, expression rife with amusement.

Aang sighed, pushing through the curtains in irritation.

Katara followed him out with an equally exasperated sigh.

**A/N: I'm sorry I'm being so evil to you all. I really am being a horrible person with my delaying. But it's coming soon, I promise. Oh, that was pretty evil too, for those of you following Korra closely. Bryke and Nick keep using "soon, I promise!" Teehee. I can't help it. I usually wait for 2 or 3 reviews before I post the next chapter (I have around 5 written ahead of time), so please review! Thank you so much for reading. _Also, I broke 10,000 words! Woot woot! Review for 10,000?_**


	9. Fixing & Building

**A/N:** **You guys reviewed so incredibly fast; I was shocked and so happy. Also, I broke 800 visitors and 1,000 hits, so I'm happy that it's getting some people for a newer story. It seems like I'm frustrating a few people with Aang and Katara, though. :) Either way, here's the next chapter, because my philosophy is that the faster/more you review, the faster/more I write. Thanks again, and without further ado…**

* * *

><p>"Here, Avatar, you can see that Firebenders are hard at work melding metal scraps from old warships into framework for building, an idea proposed by Teo of the Northern Air Temple," General Jee introduced, leading Aang to the second to last spot in the day.<p>

Katara nodded approvingly. In only a few weeks, they had managed to begin rebuilding the city, an impressive feat to be proud of.

The heat in the area was sweltering, but she could see the progress nonetheless.

"Kaishoo, bend the corner, won't ya?" a firebender shouted to another, and he grumbled back a reply.

"Now if you continue…" Jee trailed off, leading Katara and Aang over the crest of the hill, "you can see Earthbenders that are helping to build a public area here, since they finished roads yesterday."

It was a beautiful area, she had to admit, full of natural greenery that was being shifted with the earth under it, manipulated for pathways and bridges. Mounds of earth laid unused to the side, and she had to imagine that it would be breathtaking in its completion.

"Wow, it looks amazing," Aang said on a dramatic exhale. "Don't you think so?"

"It looks wonderful so far. Are those… are those water benders?"

A long, winding trench was being filled with water as a small river.

"Ah, yes. The Northern Water Tribe Embassy was received here in Republic City early this morning."

Two waterbenders, an older man, and a teenage boy, were struggling to control the tide of the water, and Katara sprinted down the hill, braid flying behind her.

"Can I help?" she called, voice carrying in the breeze.

They looked up in surprise, and she assumed a bending stance, allowing the water to flow gradually into the trench.

"Thank you, Master Katara," the man said, bowing respectfully. "Your skills with waterbending are even more impressive in person."

"Yes, you are," the other man said, eyeing her up. She raised an eyebrow at the dark-haired person. He looked to be a few years older than her, tall in stature, but standing in a way that ticked her off. _He's too sure of himself. And by the way he was bending, he has no reason to be._

Katara amused herself with the thought as the older man smacked his head.

"I'm Pondu. This is my grandson, Karkof. Ignore his impudent behavior," the older man said.

Katara smiled in response as Aang caught up to her.

"Hey! I'm Aang," he said, waving politely.

"Of course, Avatar. It is an honor to meet you," Pondu replied, bowing even more dramatically.

"Please call me Aang," he insisted. "Is there anything else that you need help with here?"

"No, thank you, though. We have been graciously accepted into this pleasant town, and hope to make a home of it," Pondu said suavely.

_Arnook made a good choice here. He's smooth, I'll give him that._

"As a matter of fact, there is something you may be able to help with, Katara and Av… Aang. The former Kaipho bathhouse needs to have water returned to it again. Karkof, could you aid the Avatar and the young lady?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied, eyes still on Katara. It unnerved her, but she ignored it. Maybe it was her mother's betrothal necklace.

"So who's your fiancee?" Karkof asked as the three of them traipsed toward the main cluster of Old Kaipho. Aha. So he _had_ noticed it.

"No one," she replied. "It was my mother's."

"It must be this one," Aang cut in suddenly, floating to a nearby building with a picture of a faucet on the sign.

"Looks like it," Katara agreed, opening the door.

It swung open with an omniscient creek, floorboards creaking as she entered, Aang and Karkof behind her.

"Wow, this place isn't in too bad of shape," Aang said optimistically, and Katara had to agree.

There was a large mineral bath in the middle, probably ten paces across, filled a quarter of the way with greenish water, clear and beautiful. A crusty coating of minerals clung to the edges, a thin layer that had persevered the few years of disuse. The water no longer had any current, and the water was at a standstill.

"It looks like it recently was plugged up somewhere along the way," Karkof asserted, "or else this would be a disgusting little place to be."

"I can earthbend and try to get out whatever is in the way, and you two can pull down the mineral water as I do it," Aang contributed, sliding into a low squat and concentrating on the earth below him. There was a subtle shaking of the ground, then a rush of water through some underground tunnel.

Katara focused on the sound of the water, pinpointing it. With a twist of her arms, she slowed it down, and it poured into the pool

Placing on hand over the other, Aang exhaled and pushed them down, and the coating of minerals crumbled into a thousand pieces, then rose into a neat pile off to the side.

"Done!" Aang called, grinning at Katara. "Nice job."

"You're welcome," Karkof cut in dryly, and Aang turned to him, nervously rubbing his tattoos.

"Oh, thanks."

There was a rumble of earth outside the building, and Aang sighed. "I probably pulled out a support for the ground somewhere. I'll be right back. Stay here, okay?"

She nodded, hiking up her parka to sit on the edge of the mineral pool, feet dangling in the naturally warm water.

Karkoff slid down next to her, grinning.

"So if you're not engaged, you're single, right?"

Her mind inexorably wandered to the last few times she had been alone with Aang, and she glanced at Karkof's knowing smirk with distaste.

"I don't know."

"Well you're not dating someone. So you're single."

She shrugged, kicking the water around.

"See? You _are _single."

"Are you trying to get me to say something?" she snapped, irritated with his tone.

"Yeah. You're not taken, so maybe you should give me a shot. I'm a waterbender. Like you. I'm pretty powerful, you know," Karkof bragged, nudging her side.

Katara stopped herself from snorting. Him? _Powerful?_ She could take him with her hands tied behind her back.

"Leave me alone," she quipped, scooting away from him. He followed her along the edge of the mineral pool.

"C'mon. You're not called for, so why not give me a chance?"

"Didn't I-"

"She is _called_ _for_," Aang's voice rang out. She turned to see him, staff in hand, drift toward them and between Katara and Karkof, putting his arm around her waist. "Do you have an issue with that?"

"N-Not at all," he stuttered, and Katara couldn't help but to feel self-satisfied. _That's right. Mess with the Avatar, I dare you._

Her mind caught up with her just a moment later. _Did Aang just…_

"I'm going to leave," Karkof said abruptly, standing up, clearly intimidated by Aang.

She waved, internally laughing at his discomfort. _He deserved it. Creep._

"Peace and quiet," Aang sighed, arm still around her waist. She blushed as he pulled her closer to his side, and she was nestled up against him. Tucking her legs under her, she enjoyed the warmth of his body.

It felt _right_. It was an odd feeling, Katara knew it. It was foreign to feel so at peace, just by being near him. She was halfway across the world from the Southern Tribe, yet she could swear she was at home with Aang.

"Thank you for putting him in his place," she murmured. "A moment later and I would've had a water whip at the ready."

He laughed, pushing her away slightly to look at her face. "Yeah, I figured you would."

Silence reigned, and he just looked at her, eyes flicking to hers.

Ever so lightly, his other hand rose to her chin, tilting it up toward him. With the slightest smile, he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.

Her arms encircled his neck, fingers working into his hair, and she felt like flying.

It had been so long, and she never wanted to let him go. He was heartbreakingly gentle, yet insistent as he kissed her, fingers softly trailing over her cheek. It drove her crazy, and she leaned into him, pulling him closer.

Her mouth parted with a sigh, and he deepened the kiss, the hand around her waist moving to the small of her back.

Aang finally pulled away with a grin. "I'm half expecting someone to burst in," he admitted with a laugh.

Katara threw her arms around him, smiling like a fool.

"Thank you, Aang."

**A/N: See? I told you I love you! Anyway, that was for y'all reviewing so fast. I really hope you read A/Ns, because I usually put some interesting stuff in there. Also, feel free to ask questions in your reviews, I'll answer them here, maybe even spoilers if I feel obliging.**

** First things first, the next few chapters are going to be majorly fluff-filled, so watch out for that. I write angst a lot better than fluff, but I'll try my hand at it nonetheless.**

** Also, I read a lot of A:tLA fics (guilty of reading Zutara ones, don't shoot me) where the tension builds up for half the story. I feel like that's unnecessary for this story, since, hell, it's been two years, and they already know they like each other, they're not "fighting" anything.**

** Now it's just a matter of time and personality conflicts for mah babies to officially get together, which, I promise you, they will. Still, I must have angst in my stories, so be prepared.**

** Also, the rating might change to an M, I don't know how you guys all feel about any possibly changes in the rating, so let me know, please. :)**

** So please, review and ask me questions; I'll answer them. My goal is 4 REVIEWS before next chapter. I know you guys can do it (even you readers who don't favorite/review/anything, I love you too!)**

**Also, this is my longest one yet, at almost 2,000 words. Although a lot of that is probably this A/N, but anyway...**


	10. Sunsets & Island Retreats

**A/N: This one came out a little awkwardly, since I'm not so great at fluff, but I was going for a more pensive, reflective mood here. It's really a filler chapter to set up for other stuff. It's also really short, but nonetheless, enjoy!**

Katara's fingers weaved with Aang's, her heart lighter than it had been a while. She hadn't felt this good since… since the end of the war.

_I'm not that person anymore. I'm not 14; I've grown_. Yes. She could acknowledge that she had grown.

The setting sun cast a ethereal glow on the horizon of the half-finished park, long shadows painting the ground with a myriad of patterns. A slight breeze played with her hair loops, tickling her face gently.

"The breeze is so nice," Aang commented, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yeah. It is."

"It's like the Air Temples in a way. Fantastic views. Wind."

"Could you live here?" she asked him, glancing at him.

His eyes were focused ahead, pensively looking toward the sunset.

"No. Too close to the city. I need a place where I can be close enough to help, but still free. I feel trapped here."

"Trapped?"

"Yeah. I can't spend too much time here, you know? I need to move, be out in the open."

Katara pursed her lips in concentration.

"The island! There was a little wooded island out in the sound when we flew over. You could probably take a break there."

"You think so?"

"You've worked hard, Aang. I think you deserve some time off," Katara replied, smiling kindly.

"I'll tell Zuko!"

"He's leaving soon," Katara warned, "so you might want to catch up with him quickly. How long will you be staying there for?"

"We'll be staying for a week or so. Sound good?"

"'We?'" she queried, cocking her head to the side.

"Of course," Aang smiled, kissing her gently before gliding off.

It was a spectacular sight, she had to admit - Aang flying into the sun, a mere shadow against the sheer dominance of the light.

She pressed a finger to her lips, and smiled.

* * *

><p>"Alright," Aang began, tossing his pack on the mossy forest floor. "Hang tight."<p>

She stood off to the side as Aang lunged forward, slamming his foot into the ground. A crude rock house erupted, and with another stomp, a large opening disintegrated in the side, forming a make-shift door.

"There you go. Home sweet home for a week," he said with a grin, admiring his handiwork.

Katara glanced around. An interweaving melody of birdsongs chirped their welcoming - or perhaps their distress at being disturbed. She wasn't sure which. The tall trees around her were rife with colors - reds, greens, oranges, growing atop the rocky cliff faces.

It smelled of forest, a smell that was oddly comforting. It was homey.

_It's no wood fire_, she thought to herself. _There's nothing like a South Water Tribe bonfire._

"It looks great," she absentmindedly responded.

"Really? Thanks!" Aang chirped, entering the one-room hut.

With a flick of his wrist, a large section of the middle of the room lifted up, and another circular movement of his wrist sent their bedrolls undone and perfectly arranged on the platform.

Katara ducked completely into the house, nodding toward the platform.

"One bed?"

"We can trust each other to keep our hands to ourselves," he replied with a knowing rise of his eyebrows.

"Yeah, of course," she responded, swatting her hand as if anything else was a ridiculous notion.

When they settled into their separate bedrolls for the night, though, she couldn't help but to eye his broad shoulders, the way his muscles rippled as he pulled off his shirt and slid between the blankets.

_Perhaps the whole 'hands to yourself' thing is more than I bargained for_, she thought.

No. That was ridiculous. In her tribe, she was considered an adult woman. She could control herself.

_Still._

She turned her back to his still form, cursing him mentally. Of course, he had to go and grow up. _Grow into a man_. With a sighed "humph," she settled into her blankets with indignation.

It would be a long week.

** A/N: I only got two reviews on the last one, so this one's more filler-y.**

** They are staying for a week on the island, as I wrote, so each of the next seven (maybe less) chapters are going to be a day (or two) on the island. Fluff ensues, and I will try my hardest to make it fluffy-approved.**

** Also… I WENT BACK AND CHANGED THE AGES. Yes, I wasn't planning on doing this, but it just fits everywhere a lot better. I added two years to everyone. So the ages are Katara, 18. Aang, 16, etc. And our favorite brooding Fire Lord is 20, Sokka is 20 as well. It just fits everything a lot better.**

** Sorry 'bout that, but there you go! Review for cookies**


	11. Sand Sculptures & Revenge

**A/N: Day 1 of the island adventures! I was looking at the picture of Airbender Island once it was built on and such (minor Korra spoiler, for those of you staying away from those), and was trying to imagine it more raw and not 'civilized'. There were some places that looked like they'd be cool just to chill on an explore. The link is here, just take out the dots and add real ones. Stupid fan fiction not letting me put in links. There are FIVE dots to replace.**

** http:/s3 (dot) amazonaws (dot) com/data (dot) tumblr (dot) com/tumblr_lztf7o20Pa1rogcuio1_1280 (dot) jpg Alrighty, here we go! The place where they will be is on the SOUTH SIDE of the island, assuming that the tower is the north in that picture.**

"My sandbending's been been improving," Aang offered up as Katara sailed on an ice surfboard.

She laughed freely at the sky. It was warm out, the sun pressing down on her like a blanket, but the sea spray was enough to cool her down. A sporadic wave rose up behind hers, and she crouched on her board, bending it above her head and onto the shore.

"Katara!" Aang called back as she heard the wave crash to shore. "That was my sand sculpture!"

"What are you gonna do about it?" she yelled back, moving in a zig-zag pattern over the frothing waves.

"You little…" Spinning into an air ball, he launched himself over the water, chasing her. "Get back here!" he yelled, and she threw her head back and laughed.

_Tui and La, it feels good to laugh like this_, she thought. A quick glance behind her alerted her to the fact that Aang was right behind her. His hands shot out in a waterbending position, and she bent water over her head at him.

"Nice try!"

Aang shot out of the water in front of her, turning in the air to form another air scooter, and she flung water at him again.

"You ruined my sand sculpture," he mock pouted.

"And?" she quipped, trying her hardest not to grin.

"I worked hard on that."

"I'm sure you did. It's a beach, Aang, mistakes happen!"

"Mistakes?" he replied devilishly. With a sudden smash, the water beneath her ice surfboard shot up, and Katara flew into the water. Treading, she glared up at Aang.

He smirked. "Oops."

"I'm gonna…" bending another ice board beneath her feet and propelling it to the surface, she launched a few pillars of water up at him, and he neatly evaded all three.

"It's gonna take more than that to take down the _Avatar_," he reminded her.

She scowled, preparing to shoot another water whip at him.

_I can't. He's too fast. I need another strategy…_

Katara grinned, and pushed the water on her side away from her. With an unnecessary flourish, she dragged the largest wave she could muster toward Aang, then released it.

In a desperate attempt to evade it, he rose the water that he was near, hoping to propel himself over the wave.

Katara felt herself lift up as well, and with a resounding smack, she was smashed into the wave.

Her body hit something hard, and with a wild glance around, she saw Aang's arms encircle her, thrusting out a bubble of air as the wave carried them.

With a collision more gentle than she would have expected, Katara's back hit the warmed sand, and Aang's bubble broke, his arms plunging to either side of her to steady himself.

Water dripped from his cheekbones, from his jawline, from his torso, and she could feel the water from her own body permeating the sand.

"Hey," he said cheekily, chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Hi," she managed to reply.

A tiny water droplet clung to his bottom lip, quivering but refusing to fall.

"You…" she began, not knowing how to phrase her words.

"Yes?" he replied, gaze raking over her face.

_Screw it_, she thought. _Just go for it_.

Katara's gaze focused on his lips as she lifted her head to his, but, to her surprise, he met her halfway, lips moving insistently against hers.

His arms shifted slightly to take the weight off of her, but she could still feel the lines of his body along hers.

Her hand lifted from the sand as if involuntarily to cup his face, bring him closer. Her mouth parted as his tongue dipped into it, deepening the kiss.

Aang's arms bent slightly to press his chest to hers, and she lifted herself up as well, knowing only that she had to keep kissing him, she _had_ to.

With sheer willpower written on Aang's face, his gray eyes opened and he smiled down at her, pulling away.

"Let's pause here?" he grinned.

"Yeah," she replied breathily, trying to steady her heart.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

Aang pecked her once before floating to his feet, holding out his hand to pull her up as well. Katara leapt to her feet, steadying herself in the shifting sand.

All of the sudden, her back was on the sand again, her clothing even more drenched than before.

Aang grinned, standing over her in the shadow of the Sun. "That was for destroying my sand sculpture."

** A/N: See? Much more fluffy and one-shot-y. These are shorter, as there's not as much going on. I thought we all needed a break from the politics xD**

** Anyway, I put this out pretty quickly because y'all deserve it for that shitty (excuse my French) filler chapter I wrote yesterday. I'll probably go and re-do it, it was just a mess.**

_**(This is still a T rating, yeah? Yeah. T is the new 'M' and most 'M' fics are more like NC-17ish. I think it's fine.)**_

** Anywho, please please please review. I'll love you forever**


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